Fresh Meat
Fresh Meat is an encounter in Melody of the Maze. It comes after Anger Management or Who Ate All the Fiends?. Enemies *Hungry Hellhound (1000 Gold, 112 XP, 70 Energy, 5 HP Normal, 6 HP Hard) *Ravenous Blood Wolf (1100 Gold, 120 XP, 75 Energy, 5 HP Normal, 6 HP Hard) Transcript Introduction An adventurer's instincts are somewhat different from those of a normal person. For example, upon hearing a fearsome cacophony of snarls, growls, barks, and howls, most individuals would make a hasty retreat in the opposite direction. But as an adventurer, you feel inclined to investigate. And your curiosity is rewarded by an intriguing spectacle. A hellhound and a blood wolf stand facing one another, unlinking gazes locked with bestial intensity. Their teeth are bared, unsheathed weapons promising primal savagery. Both bodies are low to the ground, eight strong legs coiled in preparation for murderous pounces. In those low, ominous stances, they circle one another and give voice to their violent desires with their monstrous sounds. You glimpse something on the stone floor between them, a small red object around which the two unnatural animals revolve as though ensorcelled by the power it possesses. It’s a piece of meat. The blood wolf howls. The beast’s head rises only slightly, its eyes never leaving its rival’s infernal features. It’s a chilling noise, one that tickles at the base of your spine – invoking unpleasant sensations, awakening ancestral memories of men and women fleeing in terror before the might of untamed nature. But the hellhound shows no sign of being cowed. The demon dog roars, its voice clawing across your brain like shards of jagged metal. Excitement fills you, making your eyes as focused and intent as those of the creatures. Scholars have long argued about whether a blood wolf could vanquish a hellhound in combat. Now you stand ready to learn the answer, and watch what’s certain to be a brutal, exhilarating battle. You feel like a spectator at an arena beast-fight. It’s only when both animals stop moving, and turn their heads towards you, that you consider the impact of your arrival on the situation. The monsters were ready to tear each other apart for a scrap of meat. But now there’s something far bigger and fresher on offer… Conclusion Opposable thumbs, alongside a mind and mouth capable of wielding sorcery, prove superior to bestial muscle and teeth. The monsters perish in turn, the motes of their existence flying apart until they’re swallowed by the ether. You walk over to the piece of meat, drop into a crouch, and pick it up between thumb and forefinger. To the victor belong the spoils… You speak the words to a spell, then click the fingers of your other hand – just below the dangling flesh. Lilac flames dance across its surface, cooking and cleansing. Your teeth bite into the war, succulent morsel. It tastes like sea serpent. A crashing chord bespeaks the harpist’s disgust. But you ignore the culinary criticism and continue to much your newfound snack as you walk away. Category:Melody of the Maze